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Table 1 Scientific Recommendations

From: How can developing countries harness biotechnology to improve health?

Africa

India

Eastern Mediterranean

Latin America and the Caribbean

Western Pacific/Southeast Asia

-Establish a regional network to foster sustained inter-sectoral dialogue

- Commission African capacity survey in genomics-related R&D to determine areas of strength

- Undertake a detailed study of R&D models with demonstrated success in the developing world

- Establish seven regional research centres of excellence

- Improve industry-academic interface with appropriate incentives to improve public health and the nation's wealth

- Establish an internet-based opinion leaders' network to foster cross-sectoral dialogue

- Provide coordination and networking among national biotechnology bodies and coordinators to exchange information, expertise, and training

- Regional cooperation in production and utilization of health biotechnology

- Coordinate a national survey/inventory/situation analysis/needs assessment of health biotechnology innovation systems, including scientific and management capacity, government policies, legislation and regulations, intellectual property policies, private sector activity, and strengths/weaknesses, opportunities and threats

- Encourage academic institutions to include health biotechnology topics within their curricula and create specialized programs and degrees where appropriate. There should be particular emphasis on ICT and bioinformatics

- Conduct a study both to document system's strengths in genomics and biotechnology and also to determine the needs which can be addressed by these disciplines

- Educate and prepare the necessary human resources in genomics and biotechnology

- Seek help and advice from institutions in other countries in the region that have had a successful experience in this endeavor

-Develop mechanisms of regional cooperation to harness genomics and biotechnology for both health and economic development

- Harness the potential of Latin America and the Caribbean in genomics and biotechnology to improve health for the population of the region

- Build on existing networks so as to avoid duplications and redundancies

- Encourage the participation of researchers, government officials, members of the private sector, members of civil society, and any other relevant stakeholders

- Address local health needs

- Should not only pursue pure research but also applied problem solving investigation and product development

- Facilitate learning

- A strategy and a plan of action should be built at the regional level in order to promote the creation of international, interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and multi-institutional projects

- Seek development funds from national, regional and international sources

- Perform foresight exercises, including prioritization, needs assessment and action plan

- Facilitate linkages between government, academia, NGO's, civil society, researchers, the health system and industry

- Build capacity and share core facilities

- Develop joint training programs

- Identify existing genomics/biotechnology capacity including trained personnel, equipment, etc. in all public and private sectors

- Build essential core research facilities linked to local needs

- Develop training programs for different personnel categories

- Integrate genomics/biotechnology in curricula beginning at a primary level to postgraduate levels